The Ride Home
by MusicalMarauder
Summary: Quick One-Shot about Lily realizing just how deep James' feelings run.


**A one shot that I wrote about James and Lily Potter as I got bored at 1am. I really didn't mean for anything to come out of it but I actually kind of liked it so I decided to post it.**

On the ride home for Christmas break, my friends had left our compartment to track down the food trolley. I sit there thinking about spending the holiday with them because my parents had been killed and I wasn't welcome at Petunia _Dursley_'s home. I wasn't looking forward to it. I heard the door slide open but paid it no attention as I figured that I was being rejoined by my dorm-mates and best friends.

"Lily?" I heard the low voice and turned to see James' face as he kneeled next to me.

"Are you okay? You don't look like you're exactly excited for the holidays…"

"I've been hiding something from everybody because I didn't want a pity party."

"Lils, what's wrong? What can I do?"

"There's nothing you can do now…." I took a moment to gather myself so I wouldn't cry. "A month ago, Professor McGonagall called me into her office." I instantly saw James' face fall as he knew what'd be coming. We all knew it'd come for me but all my Gryffindor family hoped it wouldn't. "The Death Eaters got to them. Severus, the git—" A sob escaped at this point. I couldn't help it. My best friend at one point, and he had betrayed me.

I could see in James' gorgeous hazel eyes that he wanted to help me in any way he could and that he wanted to murder anyone that had caused me this kind of pain. He stood up, slid the compartment door shut and locked it while pulling the shade down. He pulled me onto his lap and held me in his toned muscles; years of playing Quidditch had done the guy good. I silently lay against his chest for a few minutes as I pulled myself together. I knew my friends wouldn't try to get in with the shade down. Whatever the reason may be in their mind, they shouldn't intrude. My sobs slowed until barely a tear escaped my eyes. James pulled my face in his hands and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. He finally spoke.

"Lily, please tell me what happened." He wasn't being nosy. He truly cared.

"Sev—Snape, it turns out, has already joined the Death Eaters. He mentioned how gifted I was and it angered them all that a "MudBlood" had as much power as I do. A few weeks ago, two or three of them showed up at my parents' house and killed them. The Muggle police and doctors still are puzzled by their sudden deaths. And this close to Christmas, I already had plans on going home. So I was going to go home to Tuney and her husband for the funerals and to stay with them. But Petunia sent me a letter last week saying that a freak like me wasn't going to be allowed near her house." I finally managed to get all of this out between sobs. James started stroking my hair and rocking me back and forth. It felt nice to feel at home somewhere. I just couldn't believe it was in his arms that I felt like I hadn't since I found out about Mum and Dad.

"So, you were going home for the holidays with your friends?" I nodded.

"I didn't want to be at Hogwarts alone over Christmas. Too much of a painful reminder of everything." We both fell silent as James continued to hold me.

"Come home with me."

"What?"

"Please, Lily. I know you don't care for me the way I've loved you for years, but I can't stand to leave you over break knowing I'm leaving you like this. Have you even told your friends about all of it?" I shook my head against his chest, too exhausted to even lift my head. He put a finger under my chin and brought my eyes to his.

"Lily Evans, I promise that I'll keep you safe. I won't let anybody hurt you ever again. Even if it means losing my own life for yours…." These words tore a hole in my heart. I hadn't realized how much he truly cared for me until today. I thought he was just in it after all of these years for the chase. But somewhere, deep down, I knew he had meant every word. He always had.

I had seen his pain when Remus kissed me. He had risked his own hide to save Severus from whatever was under the Whomping Willow because he knew the loss of him would hurt me. He chased after me after Sev—Snape had called me a MudBlood all those years ago. Part of me always knew this would happen. When someone is as undyingly devoted as James was to me all this time, it's the only possible option.

I looked into his eyes and slowly put my forehead against his. All barriers were down between us. His usual cocky self was gone in the face of keeping me from hurting anymore. My annoyance by everything he did was gone, replaced by the need to have him right next to me for as long as possible. I couldn't pull away now that I knew. I loved James Potter. The reason I had always "hated" him was because I was afraid. Of the idea that he'd do to me what I saw his best mates do to girls, of the fact that maybe he _was_ just trying to chase me. Or maybe, I was afraid of having someone care for me that much and knowing I might let them down.

But looking in James' eyes right now, I knew that I needn't worry about any of that. He'd protect me from anything. I was glad that someone like that was the man I fell for. I'd need him more than anything in the times coming as we leave school and head out into the world of a war against You-Know-Who. I gently pressed my lips against his for a lingering second then put my head back against his chest. That was enough answer from me, and that was all the answer he needed.

"I knew you'd fall for me, Evans," he said with a smirk back in his voice. And for once, I didn't care. I knew him well enough to know he wasn't just celebrating a win in a game of getting the girl. He was trying to stop himself from flat-out exploding from the pure happiness that was rushing through his veins. The first real smile since that day in Professor McGonagall's office passed over my face. It wasn't much, but knowing that some things never changed certainly made me feel safer already.

**Review if you'd like. Tell me what you liked, thought I could do better. Anything. :)**


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